


Walked Into The Room You Know You Made My Eyes Burn

by Travis_Crux



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, Loudan - Freeform, Love, M/M, Pining, This Is STUPID, Twisted and Fluffy Feelings, Unrequited Love, What Have I Done, What Was I Thinking?, X-Factor - Freeform, ZAYN MALIK CUZ ZAYN MALIK?!, live shows, nailee, ziam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-12-09
Packaged: 2019-08-25 11:58:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,850
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16660753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Travis_Crux/pseuds/Travis_Crux
Summary: "Brendan?" Anthony called out while they walked to the rehearsals with the others."Yeah?""What is going on between Louis and you?"Brendan halted in his tracks and froze for a moment turning to Dalton and Anthony. The Irishman thought it was wise to act uninformed and looked at his friend, "I have no idea what you're talking about."Just because he'd deny it, it didn't give any affirmation that these butterflies would go away.OrBrendan has been sporting a tiny crush on Louis since quite some time and it just seems to grow stronger everyday and witnessing him riding off with an unknown biker in a very comfortable manner isn't gonna hold the butterflies in his stomach.





	1. We were dancin' all night

**Author's Note:**

> **  
> **  
> _**FOR FUCK'S SAKE!!!!**_  
>   
> 
> Since I have got your attention, this story is purely for entertainment's sake. It's a really unlikely choice of plot and genre what I've written so please don't give me any destructive criticism because I know the plot isn't great and I am downright terrible at writing anything in the modern day AU or canon version, I'd rather prefer more ancient and medieval periods or fantasy universes so please forgive me if this isn't to your liking because I tried my best.
> 
> I am not implying anything in any manner about Brendan or any other X factor contestant. I do not mean to offend anybody via this fanfiction. It's just a work of imagination.
> 
> And through any dumb stroke of luck if any of the contestants are reading this. I am absolutely, undoubtedly, sorry. ~~Not really~~

Anthony was shaking.

He was gasping out for breathing but it felt like the air refused to permit him just that. He was trying his best to dive up for any air which could come to him but it seemed as if it just eluded him. The fact that he was also was on camera. Live. Wasn't appeasing him one bit. Every move of his was being documented and recorded, adding onto that was nothing could be done to edit this footage because it was a live show. 

Two consecutive weeks and two near eliminations. Both the eliminations from his own team, his fellow mate had been voted out which in his personal thoughts was quite a strong contender. Armstrong, the week before and the choir group, right now.

Anthony turned towards the boy who stood there gulping at the near-death experience which stood before him. "I'm happy to be back." Brendan gasped out, as he came over to huddle around his team who willingly pulled him into an embrace.

"Calm down, Brendan." Anthony whispered, rubbing his back while Dermot briefed about next week's acts. 

"It's okay, bro." Dalton patted his back. "It's over, ain't happening again. Right?"

"No, it ain't." Brendan affirmed with a newfound determination in his eyes. 

"That's the spirit, lad!" Anthony affirmed with a smile, letting his so-called enthusiasm help the poor boy out who regained his posture and quickly moved back up, as the contestants began to filter out from the arena, many of whom quickly patted Brendan on his victory, as he passed by. 

"Now let's go back to the rooms and take it easy for a bit, yeah?"

"Need to talk to Louis though." The Irishman informed him, nodding their heads in adherence, waiting for the judges to come to their side, backstage.

Moving through the entourage of people backstage, with the wires occasionally tangling up their feet, they wait for their mentor to come over to address them. 

"Jesus Christ. You can manage it just fine, lad." Louis' response came in promptly. 

"Yes, I am sure."

"I do need to leave."

He disconnected the call and turned his attention towards his team who embraced him quite enthusiastically on his arrival. "Well done, Brendan. I'm extremely proud of you. Your performance was good, you did give your best and I know that." Louis told patting his head with adoration. "And today is never gonna repeat in the future, yeah?"

Brendan nodded his head with sincerity and quietly smiled at Louis. "Not happening again."

"Now, I'd suggest you go and take some rest, we'll figure out what needs to be done tomorrow, yeah?" He directed him with a smile of reassurance.

"Thank you, Louis." 

"It's okay, lad. It's okay." He placed his hands on his shoulder. "You'll nail it next week. I promise you."

"And I promise you." Brendan smiled in return with his eyes melting into happiness due to the nerve-wracking faith which his mentor still possessed in him, regardless of the turn of events through the night and it was almost as if there was responsibility on his shoulders to assure that this situation wouldn't ever reoccur. He didn't intend to burden Louis for the relentless support, he always gave him by getting himself eliminated. 

"Get some rest, the three of you." Louis directed with a nod, as he followed them quietly to the X-factor house, talking and giving advice to contestants in between, waddling his way through the discussions, assuring that the three of them were perfect of sound mind, Louis moved up to take his leave when Anthony jumped up, raising his mentor's eyebrows image anticipation of the request.

"A cuddle." He reminded him which made Louis smile his blinding smile again, causing the pop star to gather the man into his arms. The warmth of the hug pierced through his skin, Louis was so filled with love and acceptance that anybody who touched him knew that. The man was made of sunshine because of much of good he brought out in anybody he associated himself with. 

"Thank you." Louis grinned after breaking off from the embrace. "Get some food and rest yourselves, it's been a tough weekend." He patted on their arms.

* * *

"Where in the living hell are you?" Louis demanded, as soon as the call connected.

"Outside the X Factor house where you silently followed your team too." The terrifyingly deep voice informed him. 

"Fuck me!" He cursed. 

"Gladly, babe," the answer was immediate which caused a roll of eyes from the pop star as a reaction.

"There are paparazzi swarming outside the gate along with fans."

"I know, I'm at the lane behind the house." The speaker clarified. "Not in front of the house."

"Harry, honestly, how do I get there without guards?!" 

"Trust me, you can." Harry assured him with such surety etched in his voice which Louis had no idea how he was going to do. "Try through the kitchens."

"Harold, if you expect me to jump into a garbage dump for you, you are one hundred per cent wrong." Louis rambled, navigating through the kitchens which were on the first floor for some awkward reason. 

Finding a back door, he opened it to see that there actually was an alternate route, surprisingly. Attempting his best to move through the tiny stairs which were built, Harry finally came into vision but he was still one wall away which he had to yet conquer.

"Careful with your steps," Harry called out.

"Louder Harry, I don't think the paparazzi near the front gate heard you." He sassed which caused a giggle from the boy on the other side who's growing curly mane was all he could see. 

"How the fucking hell do I jump over this, Long legs?" 

"Search for a ladder, tiny Lou." Harry responded.

"Did you just do that? Did you call me tiny again?" Louis demanded with disbelief and then suddenly declared, "You can wank to yourself, Harry."

Louis heard a chuckle resonate from the other side while he astonishingly found a ladder and although he continued to pout, he dragged it and place it against the wall.

"Baby honey." The endearment was called out and like a charm, Louis dropped his pout and climbed the ladder. 

"I swear to god, Styles if I fall, you're gonna be friends with your hand for quite some time."

"I'll never let you fall, jump." Harry reassured him and that unexplained force which nudged him to the the curly-haired teenager so many years ago, the same push which asked him to stand up and protect the boy at all costs, the same pull which eased into his soul everytime, he was in his arms, asked him to jump and like always he did and Harry caught him, like he always did.

"May I know why was this rendezvous needed instead of letting me come over to the club like a normal human being?"

"Remember when we were in the X Factor, you mentioned about wanting to be Rapunzel?"

"I also said you'd make a better one with your hair."

"But you said you'd find your way down instead of your Prince helping you out." 

"So you helped me enact it?"

"Yep!" He answered with a grin, creating the craters in his cheeks, he called dimples, pulling out a rose and going down on his knees in this dimly lit alleyway whose only source of light was the radiation from the street lamps over their heads. 

"You're an idiot." Louis muttered fondly, gripping the rose and his fingers, pulling him up to the ground. 

"Your idiot." 

"Sap."

"Your sap."

Louis let his fingers wander over his cheeks and manoeuvred him closer to his person, gently rubbing his nose against the taller ones, "It's been a while."

"Yes, it has."

"I love you."

"I love you more baby." Harry answered and withdrew from his person and quietly led him to a bike in front of him.

"Are you serious, Hazza?" He questioned.

"Your chariot awaits, my prince." He responded leading him to the bike.

Louis just smiles. That's all he does because Harry can't elicit anything more than pure, unadulterated happiness from himself. Even if the world was against him. His boy was with him. Nobody mattered more.


	2. You fit me better than my favourite sweater.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The response is funnily good for the story and I love you guys for it because I am still in doubt of the plot but a few of you aren't which is actually amazing because I was very close to deleting this story cuz of my paranoia of self doubt.

One thing what Anthony was, alongside enthusiastic was observant. Extremely cautious of himself and the people around him which was why when he saw Brendan clearly upset in the dining hall quietly picking at his food when the he slid beside the younger man who was evidently engrossed in his thoughts which were a scramble. 

"What's up mate?" 

He looked up at him when he noticed Dalton dart to the kitchen for his helping of breakfast with Stephan and Jeffrey of Misunderstood. 

"Louis."

"Okay? What about him?"

"Yesterday, I saw him go over with someone on a motorbike."

"I don't think that's any of our concern, lad." 

"I saw them look extremely comfortable."

"Could be a friend." 

"They were too comfortable to be just friends."

"When did you see this happen?"

"Yesterday, I went downstairs for water and I saw him with that person."

Anthony evaluated Brendan's concern and although he was a doused with scepticism when he Misunderstood and Dalton slipped in beside them with a bowl of cornflakes. "What's up with the two of you?" 

"Why the brooding when the day is bright?" Jeffrey questioned them to which the two just shook their heads and moved away without explicitly telling the cause when Dalton called the duo back, "Umm Louis will be a tad bit late today, apparently."

"He just texted me to tell the two of you that," he answered before there could be hope for a riposte. "Also, he wants to know our song choices before he gives us any."

Anthony and Brendan anchored themselves to their seats to know anything extra their mentor had informed them about when Jeffrey leaned forward gesturing the two to move in a little closer but before he could even begin, Gio moved into their side of the table.

"Hey, was Louis with the three of you yesterday?" He asked them. 

"No, why?" Brendan questioned. 

"I saw him climbing the wall at the back of the house on a ladder at twelve am or something." He said squinting his eyes in suspicion.

"Probably to escape the paparazzi." Brendan shrugged like it was no big deal, aiming to cover up for his mentor which did not reform the mistrust on the blond's face.

"And I witnessed something really weird after that."

"What?" Dalton prompted. 

"I obviously couldn't hear the conversation because I wasn't that close but he was with some person and they definitely didn't look like friends."

"What do you mean?" Jeffrey questioned. 

"They had their arms around each other in what seemed in a very non-platonic manner." 

"Could be his girlfriend."

"It was a man."

There was an exchange of confused looks on the table but the Irishman just kept his eyebrows raised and gave him a look which spelt, 'I told you so'.

"Are we missing out on something, there?" Stephan questioned noticing the expression Brendan sported. 

"Brendan saw that yesterday too." Anthony filled them up. 

"So Louis is with a man?" Jeffrey enunciated it vocally trying to minimise the volume.

"Doesn't change a thing." Stephan announced before they could prod deeper on the topic and leaned in looking out for people around, "it's a fact he is the most sensible and responsible judge here who actually does a lot of things except for you know." He shrugged his shoulders. 

"It's none of our business if he wants us to know, he'll tell us." Anthony discouraged the course of the discussion and the way the man put it out, it was too staunch for them to actually continue giving their opinions on the topic.

* * *

When Louis arrived at the studio of the X Factor house the first thing Brendan noticed was that he was limping. Narrowing his eyes at the unassured way he dragged himself with his oversized hoodie and a bubblegum pink cap.

"Are you all right?"

"Yeah. I'm okay." He nodded his head in adherence and took a seat beside the vocal coach. "How have you three been? All good?"

"Yeah." 

"Nice cap." Brendan told him with a smile, sitting down beside him. 

"Thanks." He grinned rubbing the paw of his sweater rubbing his nose. Good Lord. The man was adorable. He was a goofball of sunshine and Brendan could admit that he had harboured a crush on the pop star but after yesterday's revelation, he just sighed it away in scepticism but that did not mean that he was going to keep a lid on it who knows he could even rival the person on the motorcycle and Louis might actually choose him over the man. 

"You okay, lad?" He smiled at Brendan.

The Irishman turned a smile to him, snapping away from his depressed thoughts, "Yes."

"Hold on." He reassured him with his hand on his shoulder in solidarity. "We'll smash it next time."

"Of course, we will." He agreed with adoration and endearment coming down on his face like snow from slopes of the mountains, wholly and fast. 

After a detailed discussion and analysis on the song choice and a few trial and errors, the lads had finalised their song choices. 

Louis was beautiful as always. He had helped the three of them perfectly, carefully listening to their voices as it pitched in and out while distracting them with some playful banter in between to help them relax and assured they got enough of food and rest and he wasn't overexerting the trio. 

Eventually, something did happen which diverted his attention upon Louis with the concern he carried for the Irishman. 

All of them had decided to bake a cake for the purpose of busting stress and had made their way to the kitchen and recruited another few volunteers who were willing to make a fool out of themselves by baking one. 

"Okay I am videotaping this." Anthony announced as they began to venture out to bake something truly disastrous from the looks of it.

"Aren't you helping us out?" Bella asked Louis who sat on a discarded chair, shaking his head, "If I join in, the cake won't be disastrous, it'll be life-threatening."

Making Bella chuckle, she returned to her workstation alongside the others while Louis peered at them curiously. 

It was a mess. All of them had created a mess. When they said too many cooks spoil the broth, they weren't kidding. Initially, they had divided themselves into teams to make a cake, for making the flour and icing and anything else associated with a godforsaken cake. Everything was fine until Jeffrey thought it was funny to throw flour on Dalton's face and then it was, as eloquently termed, destructive. 

The destructive was just the beginning, it grew disastrous later. With flour, eggs and every other ingredient needed for the making of a cake had spectacularly spilt everywhere and when Louis said everywhere, he meant every corner which existed in the kitchen. 

Anthony was shooting the spectacular debacle until someone threw flour over him blinding him which was when he placed it on the couch to indulge in the fight himself. That was when he grabbed the milk can and poured it over Bella who retorted by throwing eggs over him which Anthony almost dodged, keyword being almost and letting them land upon Stephan. "You just did not do that Bella!"

"Fuck." She cussed and hit for a run which made Stephan quickly run over to her and embraced her to rub off the eggs she threw at him against her when Acacia slyly threw vegetable oil from the back. 

"Whoever did that, you aren't gonna sing next week because I'm gonna strangle you!" Stephan proclaimed while making sure Bella got rubbed off with the eggs.

"Eww! Eww! Eww!" She screamed but Dalton poured flour over her head eliciting more protests or was that laughter.

"I think this is the point you intervene." Gio said settling down beside Louis with a bag of chips to which the pop star shook his head vehemently in agreement and stood up.

"Guys!" Louis called out, moving in between the group but ended up being in the centre of the milk throwing, flour spitting, excuse of making a cake fiasco. 

With all the contestants running around him like children, Louis found it hard to reprimand any of them because his instincts told him to join them instead. By the time he tried to stop them, Brendan crashed into him and fell on top of him with flour descending upon them. To top it off, the little batter they had made fell upon Brendan's hair with the bowl on top of his head. 

"Clean." The band member chuckled looking up at his team member who looked down at him, face flushed with embarrassment, untangling himself from his mentor. 

"Sorry, Louis."

"It's okay." He smiled, picking himself up and lending his hand to Brendan and pulling him, then dusted himself but the Irishman slipped and was going to fall again when Louis swung into action and saved him from the thud by scooping him and pulled him back upon his feet swiftly.

"Careful, Brendan." He said with his arm on the lad's waist. "We don't want you breaking your limbs."

Brendan's eyes met the popstar's and he smiled. A feeling of warmth rushing over at the concern his mentor carried for him warmed his heart. He knew Louis was his mentor but the way he took care of him made him feel happy, something which was foreign, something which he tried hard to ignore but Louis, he was magic, he was everything different, everything he wasn't and what he wanted to be. Louis was breathtaking. 

His voice rang him out of his trance, "Since that stopped." He said looking at the chaos which surrounded him. "Who's cleaning this up?" 

The participants looked cluelessly at one another and then Aaliyah innocently suggested, "How about the ones who didn't take part in it?"

"Screw you!" Gio answered with Shan backing him up, "Yeah! You guys made a mess out of it! Instead of staying on vocal rest!"

Louis thought for a moment and looked at all of them who quietly but hopefully peered at the mentor for a solution. Sighing, he grinned at all of them, "Go have a bath, all of you, I'll manage this."

"Really?!" Acacia questioned with a smile gracing her lips and before he could even add an extra word, like children all of them ran off.

"I thought you sucked at cleaning?" Shan told, taking a seat beside Gio.

"Someone has been stalking me." Louis sang and picked his phone up.

"Everyone was a fan of One Direction at some point." Gio justified and grinned back at him to which Louis shrugged and nodded in agreement and repeated, affirmatively, "At some point."

* * *

Anthony knew one thing, Brendan was falling for Louis in the most unknowing yet brutal way possible and the fact he was a contestant did not help his situation. He was falling deliberately and steadily and Anthony could do nothing but watch but after the incident with the cake, it came to his observation that it elevated his complex emotions which were why he had to address the issue. Brendan was a strong contender and a close friend and he wasn't willing to let his emotions get in the way of competition this big after working so hard.

"Brendan?" Anthony called out while they walked to the rehearsals with the others. 

"Yeah?" 

"What going on between Louis and you?" 

Brendan halted in his tracks and froze for a moment turning to Dalton and Anthony. The Irishman thought it was wise to act uninformed and looked at his friend, "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't try to act clueless, everyone around you isn't as ignorant as you think they are." Dalton smirked, sliding next to him.

"Nobody can miss the heart eyes," Jeffrey added with a smirk. 

"I don't like him, it's just a harmless crush." Brendan answered with a shrug.

Anthony regarded him with caution and the misunderstood duo didn't seem like they were buying his response while Dalton spoke up. "Dude, whatever you do, remember this is a competition and that is a priority."

"Yeah. Yeah, I will." 

"And besides," Gio intervened out of nowhere, "even if the motorcycle guy isn't authentic, the girlfriend is, right? I mean you guys met her, right?"

"Just her dog, to be honest. Not her, really." Anthony clarified to which a foreign voice suddenly questioned, "Met whom?"

Turning in unison, they stared at the mentor who was present before them, Louis quietly looked at them in anticipation of their answer. "Anthony's friends!" Gio immediately covered up. 

"They came to meet him yesterday and he introduced us!" Stephan went along with the narration. 

"Nice friends, man!" Jeffrey patted Anthony's back.

Louis wasn't very convinced at the answer but nodded his head anyway and gestured them to follow up to the stage, as he went back to the seats waiting for the others' turn to arrive while he patiently sat through the other rehearsals when everyone disbanded for a break, Louis was on his phone in a deep conversation with Niall and how his recovery after the surgery was coming by which he informed that it had sped up and everything was going perfectly fine when Dusk till Dawn began to play in the background which was odd but Louis ignored it seeing it could've been an accident but after the first few paragraphs, a voice was added onto it. 

_'Cause I wanna touch you, baby_  
_I wanna feel you, too_  
_I wanna see the sunrise and your sins_  
_Just me and you_  
_Light it up, on the run_  
_Let's make love tonight_  
_Make it up, fall in love, try_  


Louis smiled in recognition of the voice, at this point in the song, he knew the singer and his vocals well enough to pinpoint where he breaths in the song. 

_But you'll never be alone_  
_I'll be with you from dusk till dawn_  
_I'll be with you from dusk till dawn_  
_Baby, I'm right here_  
_I'll hold you when things go wrong_  
_I'll be with you from dusk till dawn_  
_I'll be with you from dusk till dawn_  
_Baby, I'm right here_

_Go, give love to your body_  
_It's only you that can stop it_  
_Go, give love to your body_  
_It's only you that can stop it_  
_Go, give love to your body_  
_It's only you that can stop it_  
_Go, give love to your body_  
_Go, give love to your body_  


__The sound of the note resonated through the arena, as heads turned repeatedly in the search. The note which was pulled off was so perfect that everyone in the arena stopped their activities and frantically began to search for the owner of such a voice which had impeccable deliverance._ _

_But you'll never be alone_  
_I'll be with you from dusk till dawn_  
_I'll be with you from dusk till dawn_  
_Baby, I'm right here_  
_I'll hold you when things go wrong_  
_I'll be with you from dusk till dawn_  
_I'll be with you from dusk till dawn_  
_Baby, I'm right here_  
_I'll be with you from dusk till dawn_  
_Baby, I'm right here_  


__

__Louis shook his head in disbelief, as he quickly ran down the place to move backstage although the people around him clearly noticed his movement._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, this chapter was written during the Halloween week so I had not clue about the Anthony incident which occurred.
> 
> And one thing I really want to address is I think I cried when they voted Brendan out because of how rigged the show is. He deserved to be there man and as I said on every social media platform that I am not willing to believe that Brendan of all people would have less votes.


	3. I would wait a million years

When Louis moved to the back of the stage, he looked around to verify the voice who was singing when he found not only the owner but companions of him too, lounging backstage, grinning at one another and laughing which gently guided him. 

"What on earth are all of you doing here?" Louis questioned approaching the trio who were animatedly chatting. 

"Lou!" An Irish voice greeted him with the other two turning quickly at his arrival, sauntering towards them beckoning them into an embrace which they willingly indulged.

"What are all of you doing here?" Louis repeated and after breaking off from the hug, evaluated them carefully and looked lost,as his eyebrows drew into an arch. "What are you wearing Zayn?!" 

A black half sleeved shirt which enabled him to showoff his tattoos with faded black jeans with his hair styled in the most atrocious manner ever. Louis didn't know much about the specificities of fashion but he knew what Zayn was wearing was a complete disaster. 

Turning to Niall, his eyebrows dropped into furrows from archs with a very unsure look but turned to see Liam which initiated him to drop his jaw. 

"What are you wearing?" 

"It's Halloween!" Liam reasoned.

"So?" 

"So we dressed up!" Niall answered. 

"As what? Fashion disasters?" 

"Come on Louis, you can recognise us, think a little." Zayn prodded. 

Staring at them, he tried to decipher what they had been dressed as when another voice answered his thoughts,"They've dressed as One Direction!"

Louis turned to the source who was Anthony with Brendan and Dalton trailing behind him like the boxes of the train.

"I mean who can miss that silly tie?" he pointed out on Zayn. 

"Are you serious?" Louis questioned, attempting to reminisce the sight before them when all of them had co-ordinated in the colour black which became quite a meme over the web. 

"Who's sadistic idea was this?"

"Mine of course." Zayn announced. "Since it's Halloween we decided to have a throw back to the time we were actually happy."

"Not funny." Louis told him with honesty.

"It was dark humor." He smirked.

"It was." Niall affirmed.

"Introduce your boys to us, Louis!" Zayn chided to which he nodded immediately and turned to them.

"Brendan, Anthony and Dalton." He pointed out to the three of them and looked at his team. "That's Niall, Zayn," he gestured at the ridiculously dressed artists, "and Liam who you've obviously met."

"Nice to meet you lads," Niall smiled shaking their hands after whom Zayn followed the same suite. 

The three of them squeaked a 'nice to meet you too' but not without unassured looks on their face which carefully dotted out as apprehension.

"Something on my face?" Zayn questioned.

"I thought you guys don't talk to eachother anymore." Brendan voiced out.

"I can't do that, can't stay without their stupidity." Zayn shrugged, handing Louis a box of fries.

"But the articles? The twitter feud?" 

"Twitter feud was real. Articles are not." He answered nonchalantly, as it was no big deal and offered a few fries to the rest of them which they willingly took. "And when I say I can't live without them, I mean it."

"Aww, Zaynie," Niall smiled, pulling his cheek which brought a grunt in from his throat at the gesture. "Might make us think you have a heart."

"Back off, Niall." Liam answered him, accompanying the glare which Zayn was darting in his direction. 

"Anyway." The black haired male turned towards Louis, "we're gonna stay here the entire day or so yours truly decided," he said gesturing towards Liam. 

"Payno, didn't you have to promote Polaroid?" He questions him, wondering the decision which came about. 

"I planned my schedule out," he reasoned smartly.

Louis just rose his eyebrows in intrigue at the given answer but let it slide.

* * *

"Do you think it could be Zayn?" Gio questioned, as he walked into the washroom with Brendan, Dalton, Stephan and Anthony.

"The mystery guy?" Stephan questioned.

"I thought so too. I mean it makes complete sense as to why they don't talk to one another publically anymore." Dalton supplied.

"And honestly speaking," Gio supplied from the cubicle, "Zayn fits the biker narrative too."

"True." Stephan agreed.

"I still think Louis' personal life is none of our business," Anthony dismissed with a shrug which was promptly ignored by them to continue their discussion.

After the extremely detailed discussion on the probability of Zayn being Louis' potential boyfriend, Brendan and Dalton moved into the cubicles while the others sauntered away, telling they'd wait for them outside.

Meanwhile, Dalton quietly zipped up his pants and was readying to open the door of his cubicle when a conversation paused his actions. 

"I love you, Tommo!" Liam's voice came in and proclaimed to which Louis' sarcastic comment came through as a response, "Of course, you do."

That was the exact moment Dalton decided to open the cubicle to see Liam showing his mentor a ring and the way he looked at it, it didn't seem strictly platonic. 

Liam and Louis turned to Dalton who looked at them with raised eyebrows, "Just passing by, mate." He said getting out of the washroom leaving behind a lot of awkwardness.

As soon as he got out, Brendan followed him in sometime and looked at the troop, unable to express how the turn of the events took.

"What happened?" Stephan questioned, as they strolled back into the arena and joined Jeffrey. 

"I saw Liam give Louis a ring." Brendan told them. 

"What!?" All of them unanimously responded.

"Yeah," Dalton added with a nod of adherence. "Liam gave Louis a ring and it didn't look platonic in any angle." 

"Liam?" Jeffrey hissed trying to keep his voice down with his eyebrows furrowing, adding an unpleasant twist to his lips. "That was unpredictable."

"Are you both sure?" Stephan questioned.

"Yes, Stephan, the two of us saw the same hallucination and we co-ordinated it through our mental link and are reciting it to you." He snorted, instigating chuckles from his fellowmates. 

"But that's a little unexpected." 

"I mean Liam and him seemed more of the best friend types." Gio commented quietly. 

"Yep, they did." Brendan agreed silently and moved over to take a seat completing the rest of the rehearsals.

The two popstars shortly exited the washroom bickering with one another about something very ardently. Passing by, the two didn't even notice the people flocked in the corner who were having a very elaborate discussion on the nature of their relationships while they casually walked upto Zayn and Niall to partake in whatsoever they were gossiping.

Ignoring them, the troop diverted their attention elsewhere.

* * *

Brendan quietly navigated through the backstage. His nerves were hitting the roof. After the elimination last week, he knew the pressure of deliverance he carried on his shoulders. 

In the face of his anxiety, he was running in and around the arena. Wandering hallways sometimes alone, sometimes with company. At the moment, he was just moving through the vicinity of the arena alongside Anthony who was his number one friend to actually calm him down. The man radiated an odd sense of positivity which glided his nerves to the shores of calming serenity. 

"You'll do fine, Brendan." He assured him, luring a smile out of the fellow Irishman.

Moving through the vicinity, they noticed how calm the weather and the surroundings were although the first live show was on that very day. There were hardly any fans in the area or near the gates. 

Moving through the VIP areas, smiling at everyone and greeting the others and moved back inside to have lunch with the others which was funnily being hosted by Louis. The mentor was an angel from heaven, a very considerate angel who had actually asked what each of them would like to have before actually placing an order and was sure, every single one who wasn't onlya contestant but also everyone else who were helping them set the stage. 

Sitting beside one another, Brendan comfortably settled down beside Anthony after which Zayn quietly settled down next to Brendan, successfully hitching the contestant's attention, as he quietly focussed on his food. 

Liam settled down beside the black haired man and quietly engaged him in a conversation while Brendan quietly scrolled through twitter with Zayn's recent tweet about his record label holding him back for the album release at the top of it all. 

Brendan looked down at his food and that's when everything making no sense. Zayn had broken out of the band but not from the boys or their friendship as the media claimed. Neither did any of them seem like they held any sort of hostility towards one another not that they bad mouthed one another, in fact it seemed quite the opposite. He did not understand the point of hiding the fact that you're still good mates with people you shared your life with. It made no sense. Adding to the fact that Liam and Louis had a thing going on which he did not know to qualify as what. Shaking his head off these thoughts, Zayn placed his hand over Brendan's back. 

"You okay?"

A splash of bravery and courage rushed through his lips, "I don't get it, why can't you be friends with them in public?"

Zayn's smile which broke through his lips was pained, the veil of happiness which his eyes sported fell to give way to despondency. "You know I can't answer that question truthfully," he told him looking at the younger man, "but I can tell you this, at times, we pay a price for getting the things we love, sometimes the price is sex, sometimes it's morality, sometimes it's honesty but for us it's freedom and we're paying it."

"Are you friends with Harry too?" 

"All of us are still friends, Brendan." He said in a more generic manner.

Brendan noticed the flicker in his eyes, the morbidity which prevailed when he smiled, the smile was coerced but it was the one you give when you suffer and you've gotten used to the suffering, as he glanced a final smile and resumed his conversation with Liam.

Retreating to his plate of food, he quietly took a bite of his lunch while wondering how much sacrifice the five of them actually went through and nobody knew.

Suddenly, his eyes came down upon the silver band which was resting upon Zayn's ring finger. Alerting his presence of mind back, he quietly looked towards Dalton who had seemingly caught his eyes and gestured towards the band of silver and suddenly nothing made sense anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked it.


	4. I told you I wanted more but that's not what I had in mind.

After lunch Liam quietly whisked Zayn away from the arena but the observation Dalton and Brendan made had stayed and before they could muddle their brain up further by thinking of bizzare possibilities, Louis approached them. 

"Brendan, Dalton, a word." He called out to them which caused them to quietly follow him. 

"I know the two of you noticed the ring," he addressed, "but you cannot say a word about that to anybody else, media especially."

"You mean they are a thing!?" Brendan asked incredulously. 

"No, Brendan, people go around proposing with silver bands to the ones they genuinely hate," Louis sassed.

This brought a wave of chuckles from the lads who were pretending as though they weren't listening but we're paying keen attention upon the conversation causing to turn his head to the others who were clearly listening to the conversation which made Louis face palm. "Might as well call the backstage guys too if all of you are curious."

Another round of chuckles came through, as the boys who were keenly listening to the conversation looked up to meet his steely blue gaze.

"But that's so unexpected, I mean Zayn and Liam?" Jeffrey questioned his eyebrows raising with a shrug. "Nobody would've guessed."

"Oh there are a few people who would've." Niall piped in and then turned to Louis whispering that he was heading back but courteously wished all of them luck before leaving. 

"I'll see him outside and be right back." Louis rushed and ran out with his friend.

No sooner was Louis out of sight, Stephan broke the silence with his remark, "We clearly misunderstood, no pun intended." 

"I think he was just showing the ring to Louis," Dalton gave up the inference when Gio walked in with Bella who looked at the troop who were involved in quite an intensely vigorous decision which stopped as soon as they made their presences known. 

"What's going on?" Bella questioned, breaking their concentration pool.

"Our assumption was wrong." Brendan blurted out before they noticed that Bella was sauntering behind him.

"What assumption?" She questioned before Gio could even actively inquire about the happenings. 

And hardly did the question fill in the air, a sinking silence weighed in the atmosphere to which the blonde reiterated her question but then squint her eyes in suspicion, "You guys are hiding something, what exactly are you hiding?"

Nobody answered.

"What are you hiding?" She questioned again and then turned to Brendan, "Come on, if it's dirt on any famous person here, we can't say shit, you know that."

"Yeah, an outsider's opinion would be better." Dalton quipped.

"I'm an outsider now, is it?" She snorted indignantly but moved into their group anyway.

"And I still think we should just let this be." Anthony chided in an unhelpful manner.

A full ten minutes worth explanations later, Bella looked at them with surprise tattoed on her forehead. Her jaw had dropped with her eyebrows going through contractions, adding a dash of roll of her eyes occasionally when she looked at the men before her. 

"Why did you chuck Liam as a candidate though?" 

"He proposed to Zayn." 

"He what!?" Bella snapped, her eyes bulging in surprise. "That's unexpected."

"It still doesn't justify our willingness to actively spy on him, let's just let it be," Anthony told again. "And if you really are that curious, just go fucking ask him."

Everyone turned to the owner of the voice and regarded him with skepticism. They were aware Louis' personal life was none of their business but alongside that acknowledgement prevailed that they were curious on the subject. 

"I think he is right." Stephan conceded reluctantly. "We're unnecessarily involving our brains, we should just focus on the competition."

"I think I'm going to agree with Steph on this." Dalton admitted after looking at Anthony's temperament and shook his head in agreement. 

"Okay, what you guys are gonna do is on you," Bella intervened with a smile following, "but my question is, why didn't you consider Harry Styles as an option?"

"What do you mean?" Brendan whipped towards Bella.

"You've considered everyone except the biggest apparent conspiracy on the internet?" She said, her voice was latched with obviousness.

"Bella, let it be." Anthony caught up her attention to which she gestured, "You guys said you wanted another perspective, I gave you one." With that the girl just quickly moved away from the troop letting them ponder over what was just said.

* * *

The night air was cold, as November rain descended down upon London. The stars had hidden themselves but there were flickers of brightness regardless of the terrible weather conditions on the floor of earth. The carpet was set for the night to open into the mood of elimination. The sunday was dawning upon them with great intensity, as a black Range Rover zoomed into the O2 arena.

The show had already begun in accordance to his watch which was ticking away rather smoothly, his fingers found his sleek phone at the bottom of his pocket as they opened and dialled the first name on the call log, Louis.

As the rings of ID quickly filled the car, the automobile stops and the dialler waits for the guards to fill up before he steps down.

While they do their job, the other side roared through his phone with disturbances. "I'm so happy you called, I think I'm going mad." 

"How bad?" Like the caller almost knew the situation was terrible. 

"Not bad. I'm just terrified. Brendan was there at the bottom last week, I don't want any of them to be there." 

"Sweet cheeks. They performed beautifully. Trust me, they won't be there." The man responded calmly, very much contradicting the chaos in the other man's voice.  
"But I'm just," he hears the breathe resonate, as the sigh comes through, "scared."

"Louis." The man's tongue swirls at his name, as he continues to talk, "Everything is gonna be fine. None of your boys will be down there because they were as good yesterday, as their mentor is at sex."

"You really had to drag sex here too?" Louis snorted. 

"When I'm not getting any, yep." He chuckled and walked out of the car with his other hand tucked into his pocket. 

"You're ridiculous." 

"You're beautiful."

"Not the time, H."

"But you feel better, don't you?" He smirked, knowing that Louis' face sported a lovely smile. 

"We're worse than teenagers." Louis muttered from the other side but before Harry could respond, the voice said, "the camera is rolling in, I need to disconnect."

"I believe in you, Lou. You're my hero and I'm sure even your teams'."

"Sap."

"Your sap."

"Bye." Louis concluded with a giggle, not letting the man to respond back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One chapter more to go and done.


	5. Promise, you'll remember that you're mine. Baby, can you see through the tears?

The call disconnected as soon as he stepped inside the arena letting his guards uncomfortably huddle him up, easily making a cocoon all around him to prevent any sort of mishap, as he walked over to the backstage where he noticed three very familiar faces goofing around. 

"You'll do well, baby." 

"Around the four of you, I don't know if I should ship you guys harder or just puke at how cheesy you are." Niall's voice responded. 

"Should I remind you about the one time we actually went out to lunch with Hailee and-"

"-we don't talk about it!" Niall cut him off pompously, huffing when he approached the trio. 

"I have to agree with Zayn, Ni." He glided into their conversation, "You're as bad as we are."

"Harry!" Liam exclaimed, causing the two of them to snap their heads in his direction.

"Haz! I thought you were landing tomorrow morning." Niall noted, embracing him after Zayn. 

"Nah, I wasn't, just wanted to surprise him."

"He was flipping his shit." Zayn supplied to which Harry nodded his head and chuckled, "I know, I spoke to him."

"Also," Harry chirped looking at Zayn and Liam, "Congratulations!"

"Thank you." Liam took in along with Zayn when he noticed that Jonas was already on stage which was being played on the TV on the backstage.

"Fuck, I'm late." Liam hurried up and ran to the other side. 

"Best of luck!" Zayn called out. 

"Might as well wave a handkerchief." Niall muttered.

"Want me to tell them about the Sephora fiasco?" Zayn questioned him which shut up the Irishman immediately. 

"Hey! I wanna know!" Harry shook them, as Zayn prepared to tell his friend anyway and amidst the chaos around them they forgot for a while that they are a part of this chaos too and resided in the peace which one another's presences afforded them.

* * *

With a snap, the cameras cut for commercial. Louis dragged himself out of his seat to meet his boys, the worry prevalent on his face. Perspiration dripping through his temples, as he sauntered his way to his group who were terrified by what their expressions allowed.

"Lads," Louis approached their worry struck faces, "we'll make it through."

They just nodded in reluctant acquiescence but didn't say a word while Louis took the role of the mentor, giving them words of encouragement and advice, as they held together although Louis himself was sweating with anticipation and anxiety. 

Turning to Brendan, he noticed the boy drowning in the pool fear due to the steep escape he had the week before. 

"Brendan?" His hand meandering to his shoulder and pressed in reassurance, "You'll be fine. Trust me."

"You'll be fine." He restated with more conviction and pulled him into an embrace which caused the Irish lad to clench onto him while Louis' hand caressed his back to calm his nerves down. "It's okay, lad. It's all right."

As Brendan found his peace in Louis' arms, the judge's eyes followed up to see a curly haired figure situated quite far away who was inarguably looking in his direction with his misty greens peering at him in endearment and almost like a reflex, his attention focussed back upon the man across the hall.

It had been so long since he had seen him in the flesh and the blue eyed popstar would assent to say that he missed his man. He missed him so intensely and Harry just stood there smiling, with his green eyes sparkling and eyebrows raising to prod him to do his level best as a judge and suddenly Louis didn't feel anything was more important than him going home and he knew with Harry there and his gaze right upon him, he was already there. 

"Do well." Harry mouthed to the older man and a smile walked onto his lips. 

"Umm Louis?" Brendan's voice squeaked, as his arms were still draped around Louis. 

Louis snapped out of his trance, withdrawing his person from the contestant and let Brendan go. "All of you will be fine."

"Louis?" 

"Yes, lad?"

His gaze was stagnant on Louis' and face flushed pink, "I need to talk to you after the show."

"All right," Louis shook his head, not really evaluating what his facial expressions and gathering all of them to the stage. 

Through the entire process of elimination and selections, Louis was ecstatic after the boys had been saved up from elimination that very day and after the worst part was over Louis had the decision of sending someone home resting on his shoulders which was when chose send Molly home and keep Acacia and Aaliyah in the competition evidently pissing off Simon due to which he internally did a victory dance. 

Calling in closure to the show, Louis didn't hesitate to quickly spring from his seat to head backstage. Deliberately ignoring everyone on the panel and directing himself backstage. Quickly making a beeline through the people present, as he found his man chatting actively with Jonas and the others when Louis glissaded towards them and Harry's attention finally averted to see him and as soon as he did, his feet carried him to Louis, quickly picking him off the ground. 

"I missed you." He muttered and placed a quick kiss on his neck with his arms fixed on his waist. 

"I missed you too." Louis muffled back, inhaling the faded scent of his perfume which stayed rusted over the soft fabric of his sweatshirt, as he gripped tighter. 

"Okay, we get it, the two of you are sexually and emotionally frustrated and you just want to pounce on one another and make the people around you uncomfortable by giving those heart eyes," Zayn began in a condescending tone to which Liam additionally supplied, "but for the love of God have some control."

Harry flipped towards the two of them and looked them dead in the eye, "Don't you know?"

"What?" Niall questioned back.

"The pedal's down, my eyes are closed, No control." 

Niall's expression was stoic and Zayn rubbed his temples turning to Louis, "What were you drinking when you took him to the altar?"

"Shut up, Zayn." Louis snapped, as he looked at Harry with a goofy smile on his lips, drawing his attention while his fingers ran through his curls, "I have to admit, sweetheart, that was a terrible joke."

Liam snorted and gave Zayn and Niall a look, after which they rolled their eyes at the lovesick couple, "They don't see eachother for four days and they behave worse than newly weds."

Louis just grunted and turned to Harry after which he saw the contestants returning backstage which reminded him to return to have a word with his group. "I'll go talk to the lads and come back in some time."

"Simon's pissed, he might bite," Niall warned in reference to the elimination.

"Never been afraid of his bites." Louis quipped back and moved to go meet his team who he felt guilty for abandoning suddenly. 

"I want to introduce you to them." He added, as he left to Harry.

* * *

Brendan was feeling relieved. Louis had reassured him that he was going to get through and his performance was absolutely brilliant as compared to his prior week's but something was still nerve wrecking in what occurred. The anxiety, paranoia which surrounded the competition put all of them onto a perpetual state of worry.

As he walked backstage alongside the rest of them from his team, he felt the pit like feeling in his stomach return when he remembered how closely his mentor had held him before the eliminations. Feeling the blood rise up to his cheeks, a dark pink blush shaded them alongside sweat permeating profusely from his hands. 

Louis was everything he wanted in a mentor and everything he aspired to be. He was beautiful. That was the most simple way to describe him. 

No sooner did the trio reach backstage, their eyes searched for their mentor who had quickly jumped off his seat and made his way backstage enthusiastically, as though something beckoned him there.

Hardly did they look keenly for where their mentor's location was than he arrived searching for their own when he waved towards them to grab their attention and jogged up to them. 

"Congratulations lads!" He smiled and opened his arms for an embrace which called for an immediate group hug. 

"Thank you, Louis." Anthony was the first one to voice it out to which Dalton added, "Couldn't have done it without you."

The smile which broke through his lips was the only response he received from the man after which a suggestion immediately followed up, "This really calls for a celebration, why don't you boys go and have a celebration today." 

"Only if you come along." Brendan suggested.

"Not today, lad." Louis alternated and gestured the three of them to follow him. 

"There's someone I want the three of you to meet." He informed them and led the way to the makeup area where four men who where bickering, as one of them was recording something on his phone. 

"I'm snapping that to Hails." His voice told Niall who looked affronted and raised a brow, "When did you start calling her Hails?"

"When she started calling me Haz. We talk everyday." He added to which Niall gave him a lopsided smile clearly showing he was impressed. 

"Haz." Louis called out causing an immediate stir in the man who was filming, as he shut his phone to float towards the melody in the voice which called out to him.

And facing them was the last member of One Direction, Harry Styles and from close-up, he looked exhausted. His green eyes were sunken into his sockets with his hair pulled back by a bandana and creases over his flawless skin but even at the threshold of his lethargy, he looked as if he was ready to walk a runaway that's how pretty he was. 

"Harry Styles," he introduced himself and held his hand out to Anthony first but shook everyone's nonetheless. 

"Brendan, Anthony and Dalton." Louis told him, gesturing to each one of them while telling their names. "My lads."

"Pleasure to meet all of you," he smiled at all of them, "Louis talks fondly about all of you." 

"I've seen all of your shows and I believe in each of you," he pronounced and the honesty in the voice was etching. "I'm sure each and every one of you is going to make it great."

"Thank you," Anthony responded with Dalton and Brendan following their mutters at the appraisal.

"Do you have any favourites on the show?" Dalton squeaked in. 

"I do." Harry admitted and turned towards Louis, "Your mentor. He is an absolute charmer, don't you think?"

"Harry." Louis tutted, jabbing his fist against his biceps but that didn't prevent a faint blush to sneak upon his cheeks. 

Brendan paid attention to this exchange, it was flirty and surprisingly Louis responded, he chided but it was more of a playful reprimand. Gently tugging one another's attentions with flirtatious comments and letting one another resulting in flustered looks over their comments. 

"Agreed." Dalton promptly sided to which Anthony and Brendan shook their heads in conclusion. 

Louis cast a grin at Dalton and before their interaction could proceed, Gio approached Harry instead. "Fucking hell! Harry Styles!"

The loud voice of Gio qualified for them to break their discussion.

Harry's dimples were on display at that moment when the spur of a declaration occurred, "Thank you, Gio." 

And just like the way the moon deflects all the attention away from the stars that's what Harry did, avert attention towards himself and Louis turned to his boys while the man involved himself into a conversation with the contestant. 

"You guys should go and celebrate, it's been a wild night." Louis encouraged. 

"So whatever is printed on the papers is a lie?" Brendan gathered the courage to ask, his question clearly directing to the supposed bad relationship between the two popstars.

"Most of it. It is a rare situation where they print the truth." 

"So Harry and you have been best friends all along?" Dalton prodded. 

"We're not just best friends," Louis trailed, as he attempted to string the words efficiently to explain the situation to the men who just stared at him with confusion, "we're more than that."

Brendan was unable to comprehend. Numbness flushed over him when Louis broke down the news. He just stared quietly while his mentor still hunted for ways to tell them. 

"You mean boyfriends?" Anthony asked. 

"They're married and atrociously in love with one another." Zayn answered, walking over to Liam who was beckoning to him. 

"Yeah, that was absolutely needed Zee." He scowled.

"You're married?" Dalton alternated, making no extra effort to conceal is astonishment. 

"Yeah. To Harry." He clarified, as he stared in the direction of Harry who after his fan meet found his way back to his star. 

"Let's go home?" He questioned Louis with an almost pleading nudge from his eyebrows and the blue eyed man's eyes smiled with wrinkles appearing on the side and all he did was nod with his line of sight fixed on the curly haired lad.

"You guys have some fun and get some rest please." Louis told the three of them to which they mumbled a 'Yes'. 

Brendan's eyes quietly followed Louis when he strolled to Zayn and the others and beckoned them but quite automatically drifted back into the popstar's arms. The subtlety of it all was that his arm was just lightly placed on Louis' waist but even if it wasn't, there was the presence of a physical contact and the light touches defined the intricate intimacy of their relationship.

"It's been four days not four years, chill out." Zayn put forth. 

"Babe," Liam intervened giving his a raise of his eyebrows, "how many times have you said that and how many times has it actually worked?" 

"True that," Niall acceded. 

"FYI, he was only in London for a day before he left to LA and before that he was out for two weeks," Louis put them straight with their facts, "pardon me for wanting him all to myself."

"All right, Lou," Harry said holding him closer, "all to you for the next few days but for that we need to leave from here, just saying."

"I'm coming, I'm coming," Louis assured and ran back to do a few more things before he was brought back to Harry's person.

Surprisingly, on their way to proceed back, Louis paused before Brendan who was a silent spectator through the entire series of occurences which took place whereas Anthony and Dalton alongside Gio and Misunderstood were having quite an entertaining conversation but silent themselves when Louis approached them leaving Harry to Zayn and the others.

"Brendan?" He beckoned to him, "you mentioned that you wanted to talk to me."

The Irishman looked up and quietly peered at the same eyes Harry Styles probably fell in love with, the first time they saw them. The same effortless concern with a strong sense of humour but an even stronger sense of responsibility. How could anyone not fall for him? As soon as he quipped an answer, Harry advanced towards Louis noticing the distinct feeling of discomfort which prevailed due to the words unsaid by the contestant. 

"Babe? You all right?" He asked.

Confusedly nodding his head, he looked at his husband, "Yeah."

"I'll wait up near the entrance with the boys," he informed him to which Louis nodded after which Harry cupped the back of his neck and left. 

And at that moment Brendan realised something, something huge. These smiles and gestures weren't a by product of a new found love, they were a result of consistent love, adoration and hardships of years. 

The way they fit was the way writers did with words. One being fruitless without the other. 

Their gestures, the small touches of assurance showcasing how gentle yet fierce their relationship was but the percipience was how their eyes never left one another and how their mind was never negligent of one another's presence. Although they were involved in different activities and that sort of affection, no song or its lyric could capture. That's when it dawned upon him, the two of them weren't married, they were bonded, they were tied by bonds of such high strength that no human could reckon and that was the purest form of love, he had ever witnessed. 

With these facts acknowledged, Brendan understood one thing that regardless of how fond Louis was of him, he knew that's all he'd feel towards him. Fondness. His heart was already sold to the curly man who awaited his arrival. Turning to those bright blue eyes, he smiled at him, gently, feeling the few memories of the past few weeks dawn upon him, the embraces, the fear, the jokes, the friendship. ~~The love~~

"You were saying Brendan?"

"I am grateful to have you as a mentor, Louis." He covered up. "Couldn't have had anyone better than you." 

Louis' eyebrows rose simultaneously, taken back at the sudden heartfelt declaration, "Brendan, you all right?"

"I'll be alright." He assured him. "Go, your man's waiting for you."

The feathery haired man wasn't feeling the least bit satisfied by his answer when a smile pulled through his lips. "I'm happy for you. Now, go."

With reluctance Louis gave the man a quick hug and skipped from his place to meet his man, the way Brendan termed it. 

"You okay, man?" Dalton's questioned in clear worry, he looked at him and sighed, the pain on his face was evident. 

"Not really," He said in all honesty and moved away from the place with Anthony and Dalton, "but I'll be fine."

"It's gonna hurt for quite sometime, the pain is actually making my heart break and I might just cry for a while," he inhaled a deep breath, "but whatever it was," he restarted looking in the direction of Louis' steps and told wistfully, "it was beautiful, just like him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And we've arrived. 
> 
> I thank everyone of you who've been there, were reading, are reading, you guys kept me going. 
> 
> I know this isn't my best story and I really wrote it in a very terrible hurried state but I'm glad, all of you still liked it. Thanks for all the support. ♥️
> 
> Until my next story, All the love, Keep Safe and Merry Christmas. ♥️

**Author's Note:**

> For anyone who has read this, thank you. You guys keep me going.


End file.
